Brush-holder.



R. W. STANLEY.

BRUSH HOLDER,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11. 1916.

1 ,27 1,793, Patented July 9, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. STANLEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO ENTZ MOTOR PATENTS CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BRUSH-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed December 11, 1916. Serial No. 136,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. STANLEY, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the city of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brush-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to holders for brushes adapted to cooperate with the collector rings or commutators of dynamo electrio machines, said brush holders being of the general type illustrated in my pendmg application Serial No. 56334, filed October 18, 1915.

In my said prior application Serial No. 56,434, I have shown a pair of brush holders, each brush holder carrying a pair of brushes pivotally mounted about a pin so that the pressure of the two brushes of a pair can be equalized, and the pair of brush holders being pivotally mounted upon a common spindle and insulated therefrom and being held against the collector rings by a common spring. Such a construction permits the independent operation of the two brush holders and the equalization of the pressure exerted by the two brushes of a pair, but does not permit of sufficient freedom of motion of the brushes with respect to the holder.

Brush holders of the type shown in my said prior application have been extensively used in connection with electric automobile transmissions where the parts are subject to rough usage and considerable vibration, which may result in the displacement of the parts to some extent. Furthermore, in the construction of the transmissions referred to, the collector rings are usually mounted upon a molded drum of bakelite or similar material having insulated partitions between the rings. In case of a displacement of the brushes they will bear against the bakelite insulating strips, causing an annoying screeching noise and producing considerable heating and wear.

One of the objects of my invention is to improve upon the device of my said prior application by permitting entirely free motion of the brushes with respect to the brush holders, while at the same time guiding the brushes in such a manner that their path of motion will be confined and contact between the sides of the brushes and the insulating strips will be avoided. I also provide simple means for the replacement of the brush holders if desired and an easy mode of assembling the parts. I further provide means for limiting the angular displacement of the brushes independently of the brush guiding means.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of my improved brush holder;

Fig. 2 is a top view, partly ,in section, of my improved brush holder;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through one of the brushes and the collector rings; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the brush supporting arm, showing the mode of attachment.

Each brush holder comprises a lever 1 pivoted upon a spindle 2 atfixed to a stationary bracket 8. Lever 1 is insulated from the spindle 2 by means of an insulating bushing 3 and an insulating washer 4L, and is likewise insulated from its neighboring lever by means of said bushing and washer and the insulating washer 5. The levers are springpressed downwardly by means of spring 6 connected to adjusting screw 7 which carries adjusting nut 8. Adjusting screw 7 passes through rod 9 which engages apertures in lever 1, as shown in my prior application.

Mounted at the end of levers 1 are the brush holder arms 10 in which are held the brushes 11. Brush holder arms 10 are slotted as indicated in Fig. 4e and have a sock eted depression formed at the base of the slot. This hemispherical depression is ar ranged to engage a ball 12 mounted upon the end of a prolongation 13 of the lever 1. Prolongation 13 is arranged to enter the slot in the brush holder arms 10, as indicated in Fig. 4, and is made of such width with respect to the width of the slot that the upper edges 14: of the slot formed in brush holder arms 10 will engage the side of projection 13 in case of an undue angular motion of the brushes.

It will be seen that the brush holder arm is so mounted 'upon lever 1 as to permit of free movement to a limited extent in any desired direction, and that no permanent connection is made between the lever 1 and brush holder arm 10. This latter feature is of great value in assembling and preparing the apparatus, since it is possible to place the levers l in position, and by simply raising them against the tension of the spring 6, to slip the brush holder arms carrying the brushes into their proper position. Connecting lever 1 and the brushes are pig- 5 tails 15 which are fastened to the end of lever 1 by means of a screw 16, or in any other suitable manner, 7

As a means for guiding the brush I form the collector rings 17 in an irregular shape, such as illustrated in Fig. 3, and form the contact edges of the brushes into corresponding irregular shape to register with the col lector rings. I have found that a concave cross-section of the collector rings is particularly well adapted to the function of guiding the brushes, since it tends. to bring them back to the center of the collector rings should they tend to depart therefrom, and furnishes adequate support for the protruding portion of the brushes. By this means I am enabled to keep the brushes 11 centered upon the collector rings 17 and to prevent their contact with the upstanding portions of the insulating drum 18.

Thus forming the collector rings and brushes not only corrects any tendency the brushes may have to rise from the middle of the groove, but prevents their sticking, and also simplifies the machining of the parts.

It will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not intend to confine myself to the particular form shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a

lever, a brush holder arm mounted thereon to permit motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, and positive means for guiding the brush holder arm.

2. In a device of the kind described, a lever, a brush holder arm mounted thereon to permit motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, a brush mounted upon the brush holder arm, and means, including the brush, for guiding the brush holder arm. 7

3. In a device of the kind described, a lever, a brush holder arm mounted thereon to permit motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, a brush mounted upon the brush holder arm, and means, independent of the lever and including the brush, for guiding the brush holder arm.

4. In a device of the kind described, a lever, a brush holder arm mounted thereon to permit motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, a brush mounted upon the brush holder arm and a moving contact with which the brush is adapted to cooperate, said brush and contact being adapted to guide the brush holder. 7

5. In a device of the kind described, a pivoted, freely rotatable lever, a spherical member carried thereby, and a brush holder arm having a spherical depression adapted to cooperate with the spherical member.

6. In a device of the kind described, a pivoted, freely rotatable lever, a spherical member carried thereby, a brush holder arm having a slot formed therein, and a spherical depression at the base of the slot adapted to cooperate with the spherical member.

7. In a device of the kind described, a lever, a brush holder arm carried thereby and mounted thereon to permit motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, positive means for guiding the brush holder arm, and means for limiting its angular motion with respect to the lever.

8. In a device of the kind described, a lever, a brush holder carried thereby and mounted thereon to permit 'motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, means for guiding the brush holder arm, and means for limiting its angular motion in two directions with respect to the lever. r

9. In a device of the kind described, a lever, a projection carried thereon, a spherical member carried by said projection, a brush holder having a slotted portion, and a spherical depression formed at the base of the slot, the spherical member being adapted to cooperate with the spherical depression of the brush holder arm to permit motion of the brush holder arm in any direction relative to the lever, the projection being adapted to cooperate with the sides of the slot to limit the angular motion of the brushholder arm.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 9th day of December, 1916.

ROBERT W. STANLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. V 

